The Road Home
by HeavyHorses
Summary: Four strangers embark on a journey to find their homes in the middle of a worldwide zombie infection. Challenges will arouse to put them to the test and change their lives in ways they've never imagined before.
1. Away From Home

_(Author's note:I take claim of nothing but the bones of my calloused hands and my restless mind. The characters herein belong to Disney/Pixar, DreamWorks, William Joyce, Cressida Cowell and all the other respective owners. _

_Big thanks for making me check twice after posting here and to my sister for some casual ideas… and for knocking my noggin' around so I'd sit down and write this down.)_

* * *

_February 5__th__ 2014 - 21:36 - Twenty two hours before the match_

Jack chuckled at his friends laughing and singing. To be flying in first class only made the mood grow bigger. Who'd have thought that a bunch of teens would travel to Europe just to play ice hockey anyway?

"We'll make those brits know what real pain is, am I right guys?" A boy yelled from the back.

"Yeah, they'll never see it coming!" Another one replied gleefully while the rest of the team raised their drinks. Jack raised his hockey stick along with a quiet yet warm laugh. The '_staff_' as everyone called it. They said he made magic with it, and funnily enough, he often believed that too.

"No team is match for the Burgess Fucking Winter Wolves!" The group boomed loudly. "Yeah, not while we have the Jack Fucking Winter Frost with us!" Another cheer thundered across.

He couldn't hide his smirk at that title. He'd never tried to. Jack sank deeper into his seat and set his mind loose to drift away looking around while the rest of the team began to sing again, the smile growing wider. Three years ago he got into the local team as a complete nobody and slowly made his way up till he became the best one around. He was a natural, but he never bragged about it. He just wanted to have fun, and he always had it.

When he peeked through the window he felt like being in the middle of a dream. It was night, there were no clouds around and hundreds of glimmering stars completed the sky. He tried looking down into the ocean but he saw nothing but darkness. Then his eyes widened when something else caught his attention. Something not so different from the stars yet somewhat greater and more beautiful reflected in his blue eyes. The greatest full moon he had ever seen hung in the middle of the night sky. It was so big and it was so bright. The stars were but mere lanterns against it. This was a light he'd never seen before. The longer he stared the bigger it got, and he felt submerged in that light. A warmth he'd never sensed before touched his very centre. Alas, the warmth disappeared as the captain announced that they were going to land soon.

And when they did, the light vanished as well. And the dream ended.

As soon as he got outside the plane, he noticed it.

The moon shone over the asphalt floor as the team slowly walked out of the plane. Jack's brow furrowed as he looked around searching; there was nobody outside. No workers or guards or even friendly faces waiting for their arrival. Not even a single soul was there.

"Something's up…" The words were just a whisper in the cold night, he wasn't even sure if he had said those words.

He shifted his bag over his shoulder and began to slowly lead the group inside the airport, stopping in front of the large doors and tightening the grip on his stick unconsciously. It felt like hours had passed between the landing and now. When he finally opened them, a horrid crescendo of hundreds and hundreds of terrified shouts stunned the boy.

It was chaos. The lights were out, the once warm rays of the moon now felt cold and grim. It was a maze of people in complete desperation, screaming and crying, crawling and running under the dim lights. They were only but mere dark blurs in Jack's eyes, just as ghosts in a nightmare. Little by little, the light revealed someone: a little girl standing motionless in complete shock, just like him. They locked eyes for an eternity, then a sudden mob appeared from the darkness and she was gone. What was happening? If she screamed he couldn't hear it, there was too much noise. His heart froze, his brain was screaming at him to move, to run. But his legs didn't respond.

Thank God somebody grabbed his shoulder from behind and pulled him back into reality.

But when the grip turned to pain he reacted and glanced back. Jack found that he was alone; his friends weren't behind him anymore. Tracking the dark hand that clenched the flesh of his shoulder he found him.

No, it couldn't be _a him. _It couldn't be human. It wasn't alive.

The white eyes staring at him lacked any sign of life. The light of the moon slowly revealed the torn clothes and rotten skin. A low moan escaped that mouth, filling the air with the stench of death. It sent shivers down his spine, and at that moment somehow he felt in control of himself again; felt the stick in his hand, and knew what he had to do. He didn't hear the hit, but he knew-felt that it was doing it. And he did it again. And again. And again. And again. He closed his eyes as his arm kept moving, and then felt that it wasn't standing there anymore. It was probably lying on the floor dead… or whatever it was now.

When he opened his eyes breathing deep pants he found the bodyon the ground just as he thought, but when he noticed the pool surrounding it realization hit him. That was blood, rotten blood by the stench of it, and it wasn't just on the floor with that thing; there were stains all over his stick, his hands and his clothes. He just stared at it in shock, to take a life was something he never even imagined doing. But that wasn't alive, he didn't _kill_ it, it was already dead. His mind began to spin along with his stomach before he fell to the ground on his knees, his hands never dropping the weapon, and fought the sick feeling rising inside. He had to leave this hellhole.

He looked around for a way out, an exit, an escape. He saw blurry figures engulfed in darkness again. And then, for the second time, the fragile light of the moon shone through the large windows showing him the way.

He got on his feet trembling, the air feeling heavier and thicker, and dashed forward, dodging and bumping whatever things were in his way, and broke the crystal in a shout.

But even though his legs kept running, the noise never faded away. The screams were still there; inside his mind and on the streets. Those eyes were still there, haunting him. It didn't matter anymore, he just kept running.

He didn't look back.

* * *

_February 7__th__ 2014 - 14:42 - Two days after official announcement_

Looking back around her shoulder she found nothing but snow, the sky was grey and the freezing gust was unbearable. She had never been this cold in all of her life. Her tore coat did a poor job at maintaining the heat and the snowstorm was too much for her; struggling was pointless.

Memories flooded her mind as she dropped to the frozen floor. The snow covering the streets slowly reached her knees that were held close to her chest shaking, her blonde hair covering her shoulders and back.

When Rapunzel saw the news on TV she didn't believe it. It was like in the movies. She stared at the screen in disbelief until reality hit her and the mug in her hand fell: Eugene hadn't returned. He was supposed to be back already. He was outside In the middle of the chaos. This shouldn't be happening. They were on a small trip for crying out loud.

Her heart pounded with the strength of a hammer when fear began to grow. She shook her head not even daring to think the worst. It didn't matter what he'd say, she wouldn't stay there doing nothing.

There was no time. She put on her coat and placed Pascal on her pocket before hurrying outside their room. Her braid began to loosen as she almost tripped dashing down the stairs, blonde locks flying behind her before she hastily opened the door to the entrance room.

The lounge which was full with tourists and groups and couples laughing and chatting about their everyday lives was completely empty. The windows were broken, the large curtains tore apart and the floor was full of blood-Oh gosh there was so much blood-Rapunzel tried to avoid it and carefully made her way outside. She couldn't even look at it. The feeling rising through her throat was as awful as the smell of the entire room.

She didn't notice her bare feet until a chill ran down her spine when she stepped outside. She forgot to wear her shoes again. She always did. Mother never objected about that anyway, her home was always warm and cosy. But now it was cold, and without realizing it she was in the middle of the havoc, fighting through the crowd to find him.

Her green eyes widened at the giant painting: buildings on fire, people breaking into stores, cars blowing up, hundreds of undead chasing people at horrid speed, police officers barely holding off both the panicked crowd and the infected, dead bodies over the snow. The image was as horrible as it was surreal.

And then she saw him.

It all happened too fast. The fright in Eugene's eyes when they met hers, the way they shouted their names, their hands reaching out in desperation, the unbearably vast distance between them, the incessant struggle, the sirens, the undead, the crowd splitting in two, the rising fear turning into panic, her heart in her throat when she found him again, his screams of pain, the moans of _them_, all the tainted snow…

A strong gust blew wild in the blizzard throwing her into the present. She didn't cry; tears had run out long ago. Her closed eyes were pressed tightly against her knees as the pain and hunger overwhelmed her numb body. Pascal was shaking inside her pocket. She couldn't feel her hands or her feet anymore. This was it. At least she was with a friend.

She opened her eyes barely to take in the scenery for one last time. It was all white; the hail filled the air and the ground. The only sound was the roar of the wind. But in all that, she noticed something else. Her eyes recognised a dark shape at the distance. With what little strength was left, she struggled up to her feet to get a better look, that little spark of hope barely alive in her chest, but it was pointless. Maybe it was one of those things, maybe she was meant to be like that, like one of _them_. Shutting her eyes again, Rapunzel apologised to her mother for one last time with a whisper before her will gave up and she passed out dropping on the floor.

She didn't feel being wrapped around arms that lifted her off the street. She didn't feel the movements or the shadow's voice in the raging white.

* * *

_April 12__th__ 2014 - 18:30 - Roughly a week after Military Containment Plan's fourth attempt_

Those _things_ weren't supposed to be so bloody fast anyway.

And even though Angus had outrun them with ease, she knew she couldn't be riding him all night long. They both needed rest. The horse was lucky actually, being able to eat grass and all that. Merida on the other hand had to hunt something down or find a town soon, heck even a bird would do. Who knows, maybe she'd sneak up on one of those bandit camps scattered over the road, or with her luck a rescue party would be able to find her and take her to one of those refugee areas... or maybe Angus would sprout wings and fly to France to greet her family for a cup of tea.

Her face betrayed a sad smile at the memory of them. It had been months, but they should be alright. She was glad she'd been able to phone them when the news reached the house before the lines and satellites were out. They were in a type of underground bunker hidden in the European Committee, and assured her that they were completely safe. Unfortunately they couldn't travel back home until the situation was under control. And if something went wrong down there, she told herself there was nothing to worry about. Dad knew how to survive and she trusted Mum to take the right decisions, more so after the 'incident' a couple of years back; even the triplets could handle themselves now that they'd grown up a wee bit. They'd protect each other just as they've done before.

The setting sun over the west was unhurriedly darkening the land and turning the skies red. The rocking pines and green grass completed the picture with the horse slowly making its way along the path with steady and sound paces.

Due to past events, they've been avoiding the main roads. The woods had always been her second home, and now her current one. It took less than two months for all the supplies to run out. Then, with her dad's personal hunting armoury, she formed search parties to find food and survivors. A couple of weeks after there were almost a hundred refugees working together.

Alas, the worst had to arouse sooner or later.

Maybe it had been her fault; she was too tired and hungry to personally check for injuries that time. She only remembered flashes about it all now. Why someone would lie about that was still something her brain didn't understand but she felt sorry for that poor lad and all the lives lost. The few survivors left panicked and ran away, leaving the lass all alone with nothing left but corpses rotting and walking dead in the Main Hall. Luckily Angus was still with her.

And even if she enjoyed her privacy, and the fact that the lot has been her home for her entire life, Merida knew that staying there was pointless, especially now that it was no longer impenetrable. So with bow in hand and her dad's personal rifle at her back she rode away. At first she went to the nearby cities and towns getting food amongst other supplies and camping in the wilderness with Angus; Mum would object at that of course, but it was her choice. Some weeks after a not so friendly encounter occurred with some scavengers, in which she regrettably exchanged the gun for food that lasted less than she had hoped for. Now they were making their way south to rack up yet again.

In truth, she didn't know what to do in the long run

A thin black column caught her attention while she was staring at the skies, the red now turning to a shade of blue. Maybe he would sprout wings after all; the camp couldn't be too far. Without hesitation she dismounted the horse and they walked towards the rising smoke.

Angus knew to stay hidden when they caught sight of the fire a few meters away, she had done this before and it was for the better to stay out of harm's way.

Hiding behind a tree with an arrow ready in her bow, Merida's sharp cerulean eyes scanned the camp. There was no one at the clearing. With the scent of smoke and burnt meat filling her lungs she reached the fire, logs and rocks placed around probably as seats, and her stomach rumbled at the sight of a couple of clumsily cooked bunnies ready for dinner. Her legs betrayed her and she stumbled to the ground, landing on her knees. She pulled her hood off revealing the wild mop of red curls before quick hands grabbed the sticks instinctively and she stuffed her gob like old times. If only Mum were here, she'd probably give her a lecture about being-

"Hey! That girl is eatin' up our food!" A voice sounded from behind. Three figures approached from the west, their faces dark. What was left of the sun's light behind them turned their shapes in mere shadows.

"Hey mate, ain't that the same bitch from last time?" More bandits again… Looks like they've lost some men too- Wait, why wasn't she moving?

"Well I'll be damned, guess we have to teach-"

The arrow pierced right in his left arm and he tumbled to the ground groaning, cursed hunger.

The remaining two hastily surrounded her as she readied another arrow. This time it struck right in the left one's chest while the other ran at her with a blade.

Barely dodging the blow she threw him off balance with a knee in the gut and a hard bow on his back before beginning to create some distance for one last shot.

"You're a fiery one eh twat?" A forth one came up from behind and grabbed her by the arms, the grip growing painfully as she struggled groaning. The other one got up and laughed quietly at the sight between heavy pants before walking towards her, flashes of reflected fire coming from the new dirty blade in the young night.

Then she saw the one with the arrow in his arm standing at the distance and pointing a rifle at her, fighting to maintain a steady arm. Now there were three pissed off crooks after her, two of them armed.

"Och sod yeh!" She cussed and stomped the fourth's foot so hard it hurt her own ankle. Fortunately she reacted faster than everyone else. The shot boomed through the air as Merida threw herself to the ground, blissfully avoiding the bullet. She gripped her bow tightly and reached to grab another arrow, but they were scattered around thanks to all the rolling and dodging.

A neigh echoed through the woods and to her surprise, her horse was stomping the back of the gunner mercilessly; she'd thank him later for not being the babby he usually was. Shoving the bandit aside with another hard swing of her bow she turned and grabbed an arrow as the other charged with the blade. In a flash of a second he dropped it and fell soundly, flooding the ground in blood with an arrow sticking out of his neck. Suddenly another scream caught her attention and her eyes widened.

The runners again, the noise of the rifle lured them here. That's why she used arrows in the first place. Angus hurried over to her neighing in worry while the gunner slowly stood up between curses and coughs. Merida managed to get some arrows back before the man readied the rifle and aimed, only to miss the shot as an avalanche of death ran over him.

There was no time, she slung her bow around her shoulder and climbed back on her horse before taking off with a trail of runners dashing after them. As they were leaving the glade, she felt a jerk at her side. Looking over she recognized the bandit from last time gripping the saddle and trying to throw her of the horse. Between kicks and punches they struggled for what felt like an eternity, the Clydesdale galloping in the night through bushes and jumping logs.

Thunders roared across the sky announcing the impending storm. There were now infected at both sides, running using both hands and legs like beasts. They pushed the horse off the path while trying to get the bandit and the rider, scratching her left leg in the process. One hand was clutching the reins while she tried to defend herself with the other. For a moment she became too focused on the infected that she didn't notice the man grabbing a thick branch. With a hard swing and a worst hit her head began spinning. The lass fell and rolled down a hill into the darkness losing consciousness.

* * *

_April 13__th__ 2014 - 06:47 - Fourth day of the journey_

Dawn.

The docks were empty.

He stretched his arms trying to supress the marooned feeling again and the sighs that came along with it, leather creaking with the slothful movements. It wasn't loss of hope, he was too stubborn to give up, even after his twelfth... no, thirteenth attempt to find a way back.

The sound of the waves filled his ears along with the morning breeze, that and the black furry beast breathing at his side. It was just like being there again, but lacked everything that made it _his home_. The shimmering waves reflecting the blue sky announced the arrival of the upcoming sun.

He didn't remember the first time he'd seen it, but he knew that it had happened at home, alongside his family, when he still had the two of them.

He did remember watching it alone, waiting by the entrance of the ring early in the morning, in his room studying and re-reading books to escape reality after a sleepless night, walking by the cliffs near the docks when everybody else was still asleep.

Then the other times flashed through his mind. When he still had his leg, working with Gobber in the stall past midnight, jogging with Toothless near the woods…

And he imagined the last time he'd see one. It wouldn't be now, it wouldn't be here. His green eyes caught a small flash of gold over the horizon.

It truly would be a sight to behold.

So he closed them and waited; waited for that delicate moment to pass. He wanted to witness it again where it mattered. He spied the scent of the sea, the air, the sand and the salt; spied the sound of the zephyr, of Toothless, the waves and the passing time.

But time was something completely different now.

There was nothing but fog behind them, swarming with riddles and uncertainties of the past, the memories of those who were and weren't, all the wrong decisions he'd taken. And he felt a slight shiver from the cold, the same one he'd felt since the very beginning of all this-a remainder that he would never forget. The weight of the skies became heavier over his shoulders; the sound became noise as fear and longing began to grow back again.

Then a warmth rose from underneath, and the fog began to clear.

It rose from his feet to his legs and to his stomach. His chest rose when light stabbed it and filled his lungs with morning air. Then the lump in his throat faded with every new breath, his lips weren't dry anymore and the numbness finally left him as the sun touched his face.

And he finally greeted the whole star hovering over the horizon.

The bark of his friend reminded him of their endeavour and he patted its head with a chuckle, greenish eyes meeting his. He took a more careful look at the abandoned docks before walking towards a black bike leaning by a streetlamp and grabbed the open bag resting over the seat.

From it he took a map, a compass and a pencil. He sighed marking the place they were in with a cross and began to draw a route heading south over some roads and cities, then he circled the dots representing London and Folkestone. There were a lot more crosses in the northern-west side of the island. Now that there were no planes and no boats, it wouldn't be such an easy task.

It never was. But they had to try.

Toothless nudged his side with a low snuffle, waving its tail and tilting its head, as if knowing what was going on inside his mind and wanting to give his friend confidence.

"Hey, it's okay," He reassured with a smile and looked over to the sea again. It would take weeks, maybe more to get to the capital itself. "Looks like it's the long road for us…" He trailed off putting his things back in the bag and shifting it over his shoulders.

He picked up his helmet from the ground and mounted the bike starting the engine; Toothless hopped on behind him as he fastened his jacket and secured the straps of its collar. Placing his prosthetic in the pedal with the usual metallic sound, the bike roared and the soft breeze soon became gust.

They were nothing but distant blurs down the road now. The bike at full speed never stopped sounding so familiar in his ears, a remainder that he always found a way out, no matter how crazy it was.

And as the earth below felt like air and the wind rushed past them, he couldn't help but smile at the thought, ironic as it was.

The road back home always felt shorter.


	2. Strangers and Rash Actions

_(Author's note: I should've posted the first one in January, but well... perks of using the café's WIFI I guess.  
_

_Funny thing, I've never seen a complete sunrise or sunset in my entire life. But it's really not that bad considering I'm still young. Perhaps I'll get a chance in the near future. Who knows, maybe I'll get up at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning to catch a bus and drag my drifting body to the nearest east coast so I can shift my jacket over a shoulder in complete awe. No sweet motorcycle or dog though, God forbid she'd want to get up and accompany me at that hour._

_What was that? You were expecting some tidings regarding this second episode? -Well ye can think again laddie!-_

_P.D.: Don't worry. I will write something down... eventually.)_

* * *

_Spring - Probably April - A couple of hours past noon_

The streets below her were deserted, not a soul around. It was going to rain soon. Light still peered through the grey sky and the flowing Thamesis soaked the air with its smell. It reminded her of the scent of the loch, although lacked the forest surrounding it and the blue skies above.

Someway watching the dancing flames was distraction enough to keep the longing away. She finished her bird and glanced down from the roof again, searching for a flash of movement or a sound of other survivors. It was odd, not even runners were looming about. The streets were empty, except for wrecked cars blocking some roads, and plenty of buildings with windows and doors boarded up.

She should be considering herself lucky really, to be able to get this far south without other major problems, even if that meant getting here walking. She still had a hard time getting over the fact that Angus was gone, but she wasn't one to cry. Even if meant losing her horse and companion, her only real friend who always was up for a ride when she slipped out of the house at nights after some childish argument with her-

"Damn it..." She whispered in a shallow breath when the feeling returned. She missed them, she missed them so much. Now she was fighting to keep back tears again. Her mother's once boring lectures rang in her ears, and she stood up straightening her posture and kept a steady gaze over the distant palace, a breeze rocking her curls gently.

Tears never came, she wouldn't let that happen.

They were alright.

A couple of noises from below caught her attention and she peeked over the edge to find the source, the bow steady and ready. Two figures were running down the streets hurriedly, a blonde girl and probably a boy in a blue hoodie, both teens just like her. Then she heard some shots at the distance and noticed another slightly larger group running towards them a couple of blocks away, cursing and yelling. It wasn't hard to realize what was going on, the couple surely stole something from them and now were running for their lives. She could interrupt the chase now and there and help those poor lads or just live and let die acting as if nothing had ever happened; yeah right, like she'd do that anytime soon.

She shot an arrow with a confident smile. It stuck on the street a couple of meters ahead from the fugitives and got the desired effect; they both looked up in surprise and found her in mere seconds. She whistled and motioned to go around the building, the teens looked at each other puzzled before rushing over the nearby alleyway. They still had time; the chasers were far but still a threat, so she quickly got a rope from her bag and tied it to an air pipe before tossing the other end to the side were the teens presumably were.

The first one to come up was the girl; and now that they were close, she got a better look at her. The lass had green eyes and long blonde hair tied in a thick braid, she was wearing a light brown capris that surprisingly weren't ripped and a pink shirt, her face held an expression of both fear and gratitude as she dropped her back on the roof panting and clutching a satchel for dear life, they must have stolen something really important.

Seconds after the boy made it up; he wore brown jeans and the hoodie she'd noticed earlier. He was tightly gripping what looked like a hockey stick in poor shape wrapped with duct tape. He glanced down the streets between stifled huffs at the group below until they were out of sight and sound's reach before tumbling down in relief next to his companion, between puffs he pulled off his hoodie revealing blue eyes and white hair? Surely that wasn't natural. This was the strangest lad she'd ever seen so far, although it was nothing compared to the blue tattoos of Macintosh, those were just plain ridiculous.

A satisfied grin was plastered across her face as she sat and watched the two in silence until they were breathing normally again. They didn't seem like such a treat to her yet, if anything she could take them down without much effort, but she shook those thoughts aside. The pair looked at each other and began to chortle; it was the rush of adrenaline, she knew that very well. Slowly sitting up the girl was the first to speak.

"_Danke für alles..._" She didn't recognize the accent at first; her German was still rusty, or more like the wee bits she'd learned were more than rusty by now. Mum's scowl appeared again and she shrugged. The boy elbowed her lightly on the arm with a chuckle before the blonde got the point.

"Oh," She laughed quietly. "I mean... thanks for everything."

"No problem." She simply nodded back at the two.

"Yeah, although I think we really wouldn't be goners by now, those guys weren't too bright anyway." He was American, she could tell right away. "Say... forgot you were in here for a second there Punzie?"

"_Sorry_, guess I'm a little bit jumpy..."

"Well, seeing as you saved ours back there," The boy reached his hand. "I'm Jack, blondie here is Rapunzel."

"Merida," She shook it eagerly. "Nice to meet yeh."

Jack chuckled. "Let me guess, Ireland right?" She narrowed her eyes, the eagerness slowly fading. "And here I thought I'd never meet some friendly brits around-"

"Oi, Ah'm from the Highlands laddie!"

"Alright, alright, gotcha..." He still had his smirk as held up his hands apologetically, knowing full well what he'd hit. "...some temper huh?" Jack mumbled to Rapunzel. He was lucky she just shot him daggers with her eyes and not actual arrows. Then something else seemed to cross his mind when he glanced down, his grin turning into a mischievous one.

"Looks like this troublemaker is safe now," He took a wee green reptile from a pocket of his hoodie and placed it on Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Pascal, you're okay!" She squealed stroked and held it in her hands beaming before she looked closely and frowned. "You crazy chameleon, you scared me back there. You're okay right? No cuts or lumps or bruises?" A shook of its head and a smile was the answer. She wasn't sure if chameleons could smile or not but went along with it. Rapunzel seemed to notice the way she was staring at the lizard and the smile returned to her features. "Hey, this is our new friend Merida. Merida, this is Pascal." He tilted his head inquisitively and she hesitated for a second before petting it.

It squeaked and smiled. "Aww hello ye wee thing." It was cute, even if she wasn't a big reptile fan.

"Yeah... you should've seen him down there," Jack snickered and walked by the edge looking at the distance waving his stick around. That lad had a good balance to stroll around like that at this height; or maybe he was just careless. She resolved on the last. "Those guys never saw him coming."

"Don't ever do that again you hear..." The blonde kept her scowl in a low voice receiving nods and shakes along other gestures in reply. Was this how she looked when she talked to Angus?

"Wha' happened down there anyway?"

"The usual... group of survivors, shenanigans, saying we're too young, problems with supplies, arguing about Pascal, threats and whatnot, sneaking out and escaping with some of their things while running for our lives... everyday stuff." He finished twirling his stick on his side.

"Pascal?"

"...They wanted to have him for lunch. Those sickos..." He trailed off, anger filling his eyes. That sounded bad, having to do that to a pet, especially a close one, and she shivered imagining her horse in that circumstance.

"That's just plain wrong..." She didn't know what else to say, the words had just left her out of the shudder.

"Yeah, I mean what's up with that!? We were just-"

"Jack..." Rapunzel cut in with a knowing smile before turning to gaze the horizon, a curtain of grey covering the silent city. She looked like lost in thought as she stood up. "Merida, would it be alright if... you know... we stick around with you... I mean... for a while... I guess?" Her green eyes looked full of hope but also doubt and worry, probably for ending up alone. She knew that feeling too well, being out there was something else, especially when things were like this.

"H-Hold on Punz... you-are you sure? I mean, yeah she's helped us, but what if- "

"Spare me the lecture Jackson. And if I remember correctly, you were the one that decided to help a complete stranger before, didn't you?" She teased smiling fondly at him and he huffed looking away. Something told her that these two had been through quite a tad lately. She'd like to hear the full story someday.

"That was different then, but we hardly know her..." He tried to keep going, really, but who could compete against those puppy green eyes begging at him. She laughed inwardly at the sight.

Thinking about it now, it would be good to have company, even if that meant having that lad Jack around. Maybe she could use him as target practice someday. Besides it's been a long time since she'd talked to someone else.

"Alright... Ah suppose." She simply said and shrugged with a smile. Rapunzel's face lit up with a gasp of wonder and hugged her, taking her by surprise. "_Entschuldige..._" She mumbled letting go before realization dawned upon her and apologised with a small smile. "I mean... sorry... again."

That last line made her laugh, and soon they were both chortling out loud. The blonde was quite warm-hearted, she'd give her that. It's been a while since she laughed like that, and she liked feeling it again. Maybe it was the way she mumbled or her random shows of affection, but she was quickly growing fond of this Rapunzel lass.

The now familiar but still dreaded sound ran through the air down the streets. They weren't safe there anymore. With one quick look between them they started to pack up and took off from the roof towards south, the horde now becoming more than a just blur at the distance. She truly had forgotten about the infected when the pair showed up, and now she was muttering like her mother again for doing so, although she didn't regret helping the pair.

The moans and screams grew larger by the second and they were running out of rooftops. The infected traced them, and now a few were starting to climb buildings. It looked like there were different types now, possibly species of some sort. Her sharp eyes noticed some of the different ones in the large mob.

"Weren't zombies supposed to be slow and dumb and all that?!" Jack shouted after jumping to a nearby building. There were no more roofs they could use, only a set of stairs leading to the streets. It was the lesser evil, considering they were getting cornered and the only building close was a gas station across the large street. Luckily they weren't so far up and nothing happened on their way down. The place wasn't so far as it had looked.

They were running from a larger mass now that they were on the same level, and a couple managed to catch up to them. A quick bow to the face did the job on one. "It looks lik' they've evolved somehow, they're faster than before"

"You don't say-" Jack scoffed hitting another one with his stick, the head sending rotten meat and blood flying across the ground with a too disgusting sound.

"Look out!" Rapunzel yelled and grabbed their arms stopping them as a large one vomited a giant puddle of green bile in front of them.

"Where teh now?"

"Quick! This way!" The blonde leaded them round a group of slow ones and headed for the station. All the windows were boarded up as well as the door, which surprisingly took just a couple of kicks to open.

Once inside, she kept the door closed with the help of Jack while looking around for anything to block it down again.

Rapunzel did the job with a chair, and the three of them slowly stepped away with heavy breaths while their eyes were fixed at the beating door, their hearts pounding almost in sync with every thud. The only thing left to do was to wait and to be ready for the worse; she slung her bow off from her shoulder and readied an arrow of the few she still had.

Although the skies were grey, the light still made its way through the blocked windows, illuminating the room with a fragile clarity, so delicate that it would seem to fade away at any moment. There were tables and chairs flipped over, empty shelves with a lot of stains, broken freezers and a couple of doors by the back.

"Alright, the door works... so what now?" Jack inquired tightening the grip of his stick. The insistent moans and screeches were barely audible inside the building.

"What do yeh think? If 't breaks we'll fight our way oot!"

"Err... you might wanna grab something." The girl nodded in a rush and looked for anything in reach. Quickly searching with her eyes, there was nothing around them but chairs, plastic dishes and such.

"The gun Punz, you did get it right?" Jack's voice rose with worry.

"R-right, yes..." She took a handgun from the satchel she was carrying and pointed it at the door. By the way she was shaking, there was no doubt she'd never hold a gun before, her legs were struggling to maintain her balance and her features reflected fear.

But she noted something else in her eyes, as if she'd seen...

"It's okay..." Jack said, looking her with concerned eyes. "Just... just breathe..."

A screech made her attention snap to the door again, it was louder than all of the other from before. The groans grew louder along every hammering on the door with a cracking sound, shatters now visible over the wood. Shadows of limbs began to creep over the windows, disturbing what little light entered the room and slamming the planks in fury. They were surrounded, and she began to feel anxious; she wasn't used to be in between walls for so long, even in her room she'd moved her bed near the window just to feel the moving breeze.

Silence suddenly fell around them as the door ceased its pulse, losing what new life it had. The shadows were now immobile, as if something else had caught their attention. Endless seconds that were making the air much heavier, and they held their breaths unconsciously, dreading to disrupt the stillness and whatever caused those things to stop.

Then a far rising sound reached her ears, like a screech of some sort. She'd never heard something like that before, not even a vehicle, perhaps another one of those infected that evolved.

The sound grew larger and she was sure now that whatever that was, it was coming towards them. Rapunzel let out a shriek when the ground trembled for a second with the strong whistle. But as soon as that came, it vanished like a flash of lighting, the infected now screaming and moaning in frenzy. Jack rushed over to the door and peeked through the keyhole while the girls looked outside from the gaps between the panels. They were... running away.

"What the..." Jack's flabbergasted whisper was the first sound to break the silence.

"My thoughts exactly," Rapunzel slowly nodded at her side, every eye stuck at the blurs in the distance. "Did that thing just..."

Deciding that they were somewhat safer now, she hurried to the door and took the chair away, almost hitting the lad in the process. His grumble went ignored when she went outside and stared at the distance, trying to make sense of whatever was that happened.

* * *

_Fourth day in the station - Late-afternoon - Rain_

Rapunzel was sitting next to a barricaded window with her head tilted to the right over her hand, watching how infinite drops hit the empty streets outside through the little spaces amidst the boards, the symphony of fallen crystals complementing the beat of a melody that few bothered to hear nowadays. The tip of her finger draw slow, smooth circles over the edge of a mug resting on the table as her mind drifted off into the distance, steam rising from the warm tea and dancing around her cheeks.

So far, the only things they've managed to gather were a bunch of small boxes of tea, some cookies, candles, a First Aid kit, bunches of snacks and bottles of water. Luckily there was still running water and gas so cooking wasn't such the luxury, and with Merida hunting some passer-by birds and Jack occasionally scavenging nearby buildings, they were managing themselves just fine.

The sound of falling rain was ringing in her ears. It'd started out as a comfortable drizzle a couple of hours earlier, now it was pouring with rain, nonetheless it was just as enjoyable. Pascal was napping on her lap, and disturbing the little thing from his sleep was out of the question. The place wasn't so dark either, just the usual grey colour that made its way inside along with a touch of blue and white. But she needed to be outside, at least for a little while, just to see everything around her, the colours and sounds and to feel the soft breeze play with her blonde hair, even if it sounded silly.

No infected walked the streets for now, which was kind of weird actually, considering they were _everywhere_ all the time. But it wouldn't hurt to just sit there outside by the door, right? The roof of the outside entrance would keep her dry and if anything happened she'd get back inside in no time.

"Hey," Jack said resting his hip by the edge of the table, one hand holding the _staff _over his shoulder. "You certainly seem far away, everything okay in there?"

"Mhm," Her hand left the mug and began to stroke the chameleon when their eyes met. "Just looking outside..."

"Something tells me there's more than just looking."

She gave him a look with half-lidded eyes, head still resting on her hand and a contagious smile plastered to her face.

"So, no telling huh?" A shook of her head was all he got as an answer.

"...C-c_urse this door!_" An angry screech made their heads snap up at the far side of the room. Merida was stubbornly trying to open one of the locked doors between mutters and weird curses.

"Well, at least you're not stuck like Red over there." He chuckled and pocketed his free hand.

"..._this blasted_-Oi, Ah heard tha'!" Merida snapped from the back. "Why daenae ye give me tha' _sta'aaf _of yers so we get this thin' huh?"

The boy twirled the stick around and sat on the table with a snarky grin, legs dangling back and forth. "Nah, I'm sure you can do that on your own. We believe in you, right Punz?"

Rapunzel held up a hand to her mouth trying to stifle a giggle, she then felt a movement on her lap and found Pascal with its eyes opened stretching a bit. She smiled fondly and placed him on the table before standing up and walking towards the Scot.

"Mer," She placed a hand on her shoulder, the girl faced her slowly. "Why don't you take a break? It's been hours now." Even if they've just met a couple of days ago, Rapunzel quickly considered her a close friend; a stubborn, spirited and good friend to say the least, but a friend nonetheless. "Hey, would you like to sit outside with me for a bit? I'm sure Jack can take care of this in no time."

"What?" He chimed in standing on the table, his stick over his shoulders.

"And let him make a mess out of everythin'? _Pff_" Merida snorted. "Fat chance lassie."

"Aww, come on, just a little while..." Rapunzel batted her eyelids, knowing her puppy eyes always worked. And they certainly did.

"Arigh' then," She stood up inhaling and made her way to the main door before pointing a finger at Jack. "If anythin' happens Ah'll know it, ye hear?" Her face flashed a grin before she twirled around almost hitting his face with a mane of red curls and made her way to the door.

"Sorry," Rapunzel mouthed with a smile.

"_You gotta be kidding me..._" Jack mumbled as the girls left him in there, a small proud smirk appearing over his face. Maybe some of his usual mischievousness was getting stuck with her.

He shrugged and hopped off the table, the doors left untouched as he grabbed a cracker and served himself some more tea.

The sound of the rain filled her ears as soon as they sat near the door. Even with the water falling there were a lot more colours out here, and a lot more light too. A soft breeze caressed her and she closed her eyes letting out a warm breath. Merida smiled at the sight.

"Ye seem at ease out here Punzie."

"Hu-huh," She nodded, her eyes still closed, and rested her back against the floor, "Sometimes... sometimes I just need some time outside you know?"

"Yeah me too, even more so when Ah was little." By the tone of her voice she realized Merida's face had a small smile, maybe a bit sad, presumably out of longing than anything else. It had happened to her before, Jack too.

"Really? Why?" Rapunzel asked, genuinely interested in her.

"...My mother." She opened her eyes at that, feeling guilty for asking. Then she felt worse remembering the argument she had with her own before she sneaked out and escaped with...

"I'm sorry." She managed to say to keep her own memories at bay.

Merida shook her head keeping the smile, curls dancing along. "Nae... it's a'right, we're a'right. Although we argued most of the time back then, Mum and Ah. Sayin' Ah should behave like a proper miss..." She snickered as she went on. "But Ah had none o' that. Ah wud rather be campin' and huntin' than curtsying, Ah'm no lady, thank ye very much..."

They both laughed softly and stared at the distance in comfortable silence. And even though she was submerged in her own longing feelings, and Merida too probably, she felt relieved and warmer, remembering that she wasn't alone out here.

Merida suddenly shot up, making the blonde flinch a little, and slung her bow off from her shoulders reading an arrow at the same time.

"_Quiet..._" She whispered and took a couple of steps ahead, Rapunzel stood up slowly before following her. As they went on she noticed a silhouette crawling by the street,

Maybe it was one of those things. There weren't just walkers and runners anymore.

They stopped where the outer ceiling of the station ended, and Merida aimed firmly taking steady breaths, a curtain of drops mere inches away from her face, falling on the bow and stretched arm. Then she recognised it.

A little gasp escaped her. "Don't-"

"Ah Won't."

It was a dog; a black, big furry dog. The largest she'd ever seen.

But then she noticed what it was doing. It was dragging somebody across the street, white teeth shining in complete contrast to the black shaggy hair.

A boy, even with the distance between them she could tell that right away. A helmet with a small crack on the dark glass concealed his face; he wore what looked like a black leather jacket and dark brown jeans, both slightly torn and stained. Seeing how the dog was struggling to drag him under this downpour, it was surely his.

Merida hissed her name as she ran. It could have been the adrenaline she felt when the thought appeared, along with the water falling soaking her in a matter of seconds; or maybe it was that these two were stranded just like them, struggling to find shelter.

The dog noticed her when she got closer and let go of the jacket's neck before facing her with greenish eyes. Then it flashed its teeth and flinched forward growling.

"_Whoa, whoa-whoa-whoa..._" Rapunzel said under her breath, taken aback at the sight, and held up her hands slowly.

"Easy, boy, easy- calm down." Her palms were facing the dog calmingly as she carefully took slow steps towards the two. "It's alright...easy boy, easy..." Her eyes were quickly shifting between the boy laying there and his pet, the dog's growl quieting under the rain.

"_Easy_..." She said in a slow, soothing tone. She smiled when the dog locked eyes with her and hid its teeth, now calm and somewhat confused at what was going on, drops racing down from the end of its snout and hanging furred ears. Then she knelt in front of it and stretched her hand, assuring that she was only trying to help them. "That's it!"

It sniffed her and she beamed. She cooed a long "Aww" before petting and scratching the dog enthusiastically, its black tail flapping against the lane.

"You're such a good boy! Yes you are." Rapunzel seemed oblivious to the falling rain.

"Huh... Punz? Ye might wanna be careful." Merida commented warily behind her.

"Oh, he's nothing but a big sweetheart."

The redhead shrugged and put the arrow back. "Sooo, what are ye goin' to do with him?" She gestured to the body lying there motionless. Right now wasn't a very good time to argue with Rapunzel about strangers and rash actions, like if she were one to talk anyway.

"Just, help me with him okay?" She asked, almost pleadingly.

The skies were turning into a darker shade of grey, announcing the imminent storm that would rage in the night, a strong whistling wind playing with their wet locks. A smiled crossed her face after Merida nodded with a heavy sigh.

"...Why does it... have to... to rain like t-this..."

"Ye wanted... to drag... him." She muttered as they dragged him to the front of the station, both completely soaked, his dog following them with eyes fixed in the pair, growling a little when the Scot gripped the boy's arm.

"Och, shut it ya big babb-" Merida mumbled as they dropped him near the door and noticed something, her sharp gaze drifted to the boy's legs and back to his helmet in a flash. Rapunzel followed the line of sight and her eyes widened. His left foot was a metal prosthetic.

Merida kneeled and took the helmet off, revealing shaggy brown hair and a few slight scars. "Ah'm not doin' mouth t' mouth lassie." She said with narrowed eyes and stared at the blonde who just rolled her own chuckling softly in reply. After unzipping his jacket muttering and leaning over to his chest, she looked up and flashed a small smile, red curls sprayed all over his green shirt; it was more a relief of not having to do CPR than anything else.

He was breathing.


	3. Locked

_(A/N: Remember when I told you I'd write something down?_

_-Leans over-_

_...I lied._

_Just kidding, this took a whole more time to finish than I thought. Guess it's because I've been modifying some parts just because I felt they were too slow and then too fast. Oh well, hope you like this chappy.)_

* * *

_Exiting Main Road - Entrance to Raven Point Path - Beware of wild animals_

The ground trembled as a lightning flashed and vanished over the distance in mere seconds, dodging a couple of cars and gliding down the way at breakneck speed.

The tunnel grew closer by the second. It was now or never.

"What do you think bud? Wanna give this a shot?" He asked rather loudly through his helmet as they avoided a couple of trucks.

Hiccup received a groan in reply, more one of scepticism than actual uncertainty. Of course _he'd_ be the one acting all sensible now.

"_Toothless_, it'll be fine." He smiled and loosened his shoulders as they approached the entrance. "You ready?"

With a soft bark as the signal he closed his eyes. The shining sunlight disappeared, the bike's heavy roars turned into purrs, the path ahead was now empty and the ground beneath them disappeared. The only sound he heard was his own calm breaths. After the exit, it was Toothless' turn.

He felt the dog's movements and mirrored them perfectly; every slight shift, prod and nudge resulting in leans, turns and changes in the speed. It was more out of instinct than cold calculations—they learnt that the hard way of course.

It wouldn't be their first time if they got wrecked, and it certainly wouldn't hurt as much, but now it wasn't the time to think about that.

_Lean left..._

He felt dodging a car in a split second and grinned, the sudden gust in his chest increasing the adrenaline that raced through his own highways.

_Fourth position..._

They blazed together in complete sync, a flawless dance over the asphalt, riding through more curves and cars. They kept going.

_Speed drop, no shift, lean right..._

Toothless barked once more and his eyes opened, the smile still plastered on Hiccup's face.

Thunder torn the air with a mighty roar, yet there was no storm brewing in the skies when he glanced up, just thin clouds hovering over the endless blue.

The road was straight and empty now, which meant only one thing.

_Fourth to fifth..._

The wind rushed past them, stabbing his chest and howling a muffled tune in his ears, the engine whistling as the bike reached full speed, but the air he now breathed in his helmet felt confined and damp.

Now something felt different, it was hot; he wasn't on the bike anymore. The pines, the shore, the ground, the sky... everything began to expand and melt, blending into a giant distorted image.

And he was in there again: walls of fire surrounding him, closed eyes exhausted, furious heat suffocating him, the growing barking of Toothless far away. He couldn't breathe anymore, it was too much, and he felt his body betraying him once more as he fell.

* * *

_Darkness_

His eyes shot open along another thunder, or maybe his mind was just playing tricks again. He was lying on the floor, his body felt cold and tired as shallow breaths left his sore throat.

Another wave of pain ran through his forehead when he stood up, somehow the usual clumsiness was still numb after the dream, or maybe it was just a memory.

He couldn't recall anything from that day, just riding with...

"_Toothless_..."

He looked around, fast and desperate eyes scanning everything, looking for him in the surrounding darkness that thickened with every passing breath.

Where was he? When did they...

A hard thrust knocked him backwards to the floor again, and he screwed his eyes shut, the air escaping his lungs with a groan. But when he got soaked in drool and the huge weight over his chest became _very_ familiar, he couldn't help but chuckle and nuzzle the dog fondly.

"Hey, o-okay...hey t...there, I'm glad to see you too bud." He breathed between laughs trying to clean off his face. "So how did—_OW_!" He bent from the pain when Toothless stepped over his stomach.

He got up again after the dog released him and started to check his surroundings. It was night—that was clear enough—and another lightning confirmed the storm outside. His left arm felt numb at the movement and he noticed that it had been bandaged along with his chest; it wasn't difficult to put the pieces together, someone found them and brought them in whatever this place was.

Shaking hands ran through his body in the darkness to make sure his worries were true. And obviously they were. He also didn't have his jacket or his shirt, just pants.

"Great," he muttered. Of course he no longer had his gun, what was he expecting anyway? These guys took it. Then again, any sensible person would have done the same, himself included.

With a long sigh he ran his good hand through his hair, Toothless nudging his side gently, and he petted his snout with a half-smile.

He should consider himself lucky that someone took care of him in the first place; he could have ended up a lot worse.

Kneeling slowly when Toothless sniffed his prosthetic, he was relieved to find it still intact, luckily that little routine maintenance he'd done before paid off. He smiled at the little click sound and at the gift from Gobber he managed to attach and disguise; it wasn't much but it was something, though it would be better to keep it hidden for now, just in case.

Survivors occupied this place, which meant that he could talk his way out given the opportunity, if he didn't manage to screw up like usual. Not that it was the better option, being socially awkward wasn't especially a forte, but it was the lesser of two evils, the latter having to fight, and that was something he'd rather avoid.

When got up something shining in the distance caught his attention, a light.

With cautious steps he crossed a slightly open door, eyes fixed on the glimmering fire, and cautiously made his way towards what he realized was a candle, a small halo barely illuminating a stained table and its surroundings.

"Hey!" A bright voice startled him and he tripped backwards with a yelp. A blonde girl was suddenly at his side with a surprised look.

"Whoops..." Another voice came and now there was a boy with white hair standing in front of him, arm stretched out. "Need a hand?"

"Uh, thanks..." He muttered after getting up.

The boy waved it off and sat over the table with a curious look, hands holding a hockey stick. Then Toothless strode at his side and headed somewhere behind the pair.

A few candles lit the room, shadows dancing with what little drafts entered from the tempest outside, a dark but cosy shade of orange and yellow painted the walls and barred windows. They were in a gas station judging by the shelves, the counter, the tables spread across the room and the large 'Dinoco' sign painted on the wall.

"So, how are you feeling?" The girl asked eyeing the bindings in a rather proudly manner. "You know, not every day I get the chance to 'actually' apply my studies on real life emergencies..."

"It wasn't such an emergency..." The boy waved the stick around.

"Still," The blonde scowled.

"Oo_kay_... I'm alright, I suppose," he shrugged. "Wait, you did all... this?"

The bandages were folded neatly against his arm and chest, and he didn't even feel the wounds.

"Heh, Punzie knows what she is doing when it comes to it." The boy mentioned.

"Oh! This is Jack, I'm Rapunzel." She smiled and arched an eyebrow, waiting for an introduction. To be honest, this was not what he was expecting, at all.

"Hi, um," he rubbed his arm, knowing what was to come. Better get it out the way fast while he could. "My name's Hic—"

"_Hiccoop Horraendous Haddock._" As soon as that voice interrupted him all three heads turned around. A girl with wild red curls was sitting by the corner, legs over a table and reading a small book, possibly his journal seeing how she'd just enunciated his full name. Looking closely he noticed Toothless near her on the floor staring down at something. Wait, was she wearing his jacket too?

Jack leaned his weight on his stick besides him. "Three names huh?" The tone was more of curiosity rather than mockery. That wasn't the usual reaction he expected.

"Only the first two," he clarified, "but just call me Hiccup."

"Ok... that's a bit of a mouthful."

"Yeah, well... believe me, it's not the worst."

"I'll take your word then. Curly's name is Merida by the way."

"Warnin' yuh Jack." She held up a finger and closed the journal rather harshly. She stood up with her hair whirling violently and walked towards them.

Maybe it was the way her accent reminded him of his dad or her piercing cerulean eyes scrutinizing him, but he couldn't help but feel afraid, if just a little, at the girl in front of him; and that meant clumsy Hiccup to the rescue.

"Haddock... Now where did I hear tha' before?" Merida hummed, a finger tapping her chin. Hiccup glanced at the other two who just shrugged.

It surprised him a little, his dad wasn't really known for his last name.

On the other hand, '_The Vast' _was considered more of a title the rugby team and the fans had given him than an actual nickname, especially after they reached the Internationals representing Berk and Iceland both. Even after the accident that one reporter from the news mentioned him as that. He may deny it sometimes, but Hiccup knew that deep inside his dad had grown fond of being called that. It defined him almost too well, considering the fact that he was... well, _vast_.

Toothless grumbled at what he now recognized as a little reptile, a chameleon seeing how it changed colour with every soft bark.

"Oh, hold on..." Rapunzel mumbled and darted past them to the counter. After a bit she handed him his shirt, it had a few mended slashes and such.

He accepted it gladly, now he didn't feel so uncomfortable anymore, but still... "I, er... can I have that... too?" He pointed a wary finger.

Merida snapped back from her thoughts blinking, blue eyes trying to avoid his gaze all of a sudden, and took off the jacket. A slight shade of pink tinted her cheeks, but maybe it was just the dim light of the candles or her hair or both. The jacket had a few scratches around and some slender gashes by the arms, and he wondered how bad his state had been when they found him.

With the cosy weight back he looked at the three more carefully. So far these guys seemed alright.

"So, I guess I should thank you... you know, for all... this..."

"Not really, Punz was the one who fixed you up and all." Jack pointed out. "Besides, there's no problem about bringing in complete strangers, right?"

Rapunzel was about to retort when something else caught her attention and cooed. Hiccup felt Toothless nudging his leg and found the chameleon sitting comfortably over the dog's head, helpless greenish eyes silently pleading.

"Aw! Pascal you've made friends!" She clapped her hands together.

"Well would you look at that." Jack snickered and hopped off the table.

"Sorry bud... can't help you with that." He chuckled and turned to them. "He's Toothless by the way."

"_Toothless_?" Merida scrunched up her nose kneeling down and fumbled with his snout, white teeth shining with the lights. The dog gave Hiccup a look of agony mixed with self-pity, its pride now shattered in pieces. "Seems pretty toothy to me..."

"Well, he had none the time we met, and when he grew them the name just stuck."

"_Grew them_..." Jack inquired and tilted his head with a raised eyebrow. "How come?"

"No idea, one day they just appeared out of—"

A loud crash some inches away startled them and everybody jerked up.

* * *

"..._nowhere_..."

Toothless' ears pricked up and fixed his eyes at a door while everyone stood in place, the shadows of the candles slowing their pulse.

"...What?" Jack whispered.

Merida stepped forward and rested her ear over the door. There it was again, something moving on the other side. "_In here_..." She tilted her head. Hiccup narrowed his eyes; in a flash he noticed she had a gun at the back of her pants, but from what he was able to see, it wasn't his.

"_Was?_ You want to open it?" Rapunzel gaped.

"If there's somethin' tha' could be a threat, then yes, I want to get rid of it. Righ' now."

"But... what if..." She mumbled.

"Then we'll deal with it!" Merida said with a nod, her voice firm and regal.

"That's locked," Jack hissed.

"I kno'ow..."

"You even kicked it and still—"

"Well yer not helping either!"

"A lever perhaps..." Hiccup mused, arms crossed.

Jack's eyes darted from the stick in his hand to the girls and hardened his grip shaking his head. "No way, no, I want to know what's inside there as much as you do but no, not this again, I'm not giving you—hey!"

"Jist give me the blasted thin´!" She snapped and began to chase him about, eyes narrowed. Jack sprinted around chairs and slid over tables with no trouble at all clutching the hockey stick so hard that his knuckles went white, small chuckles escaped him as Merida bumped into almost everything in her haste. Toothless looked at the two, eyes curious and amused, before he nudged Hiccup's leg.

"Guys _schluß_!" Rapunzel held up her hands and hissed more incomprehensible gibberish.

Putting aside Toothless' insinuation, along with the fact that something _was_ inside that room, a thought began to bother Hiccup. He hesitated at what popped up, and hated that he was even considering it... maybe. The damned curiosity that had gotten him into trouble before was winning over common sense again. A lever would work, yes, but something else could be far easier to use at this moment, something he had.

Merida leaned against the counter and huffed. The lad wanted to keep his little branch? Fine, he could shove it up his arse for all she cared. She crossed her arms stomped towards the door, she was going to open it with our without...

Stopping besides Rapunzel, they found Hiccup leaning over the door and examining the keyhole. He kneeled and reached for his prosthetic, though she couldn't make out exactly what he was doing, and after hearing a few clicks the door was unlocked.

He stood up and turned around to find everybody staring at him, Merida's eyes shifted to what he held in his hands, like a weird scrap of metal or some sort of Swiss army knife.

"Did he just use his _leg_?" Jack whispered to Rapunzel who tilted her head with a look of mixed astonishment and curiosity, Pascal mirroring her over her shoulder.

"Yeah..." Hiccup chuckled nervously trying to avoid eye contact. "...my leg..." He didn't think about this part at all, now the nervous babbling was inbound. "Er-I... well... I know it looks... kind of... weird..."

"Nae," Merida shook her head, "That's downrigh' creepy."

"Huh," a smirk formed on Jack's features. "Do you have anything else there?"

"_No_..." Hiccup pursed his lips. He kneeled down as smoothly as possible and put the _knife_ back in place.

A large rat ran out the door bumping his leg and was gone as quickly as it appeared, Rapunzel almost tripped with a yelp when it sped past her, Toothless darting behind in a blur towards another room .

The awkward situation was gone as well, now everybody's attention was fixed on the new darkness; Merida was the first to react and pushed open the door.

With some candles they managed to light up the place a bit. Now that they could see better her face lit up. It was a storage room, exactly like the other but shaped like an "L" and had a larger shelf with boxes and supplies, junk and other assorted things spread over the floor.

"Finally, nae more damned tea for me." Merida smirked reaching for a small coffee box.

"But I thought you loved tea," Jack said in his mischievous manner. She snorted at his tone, the devil. The mood wasn't going to go down so easy.

"Not at all Yeti... Oh yeh beauty!" She grabbed a bottle of whisky from a high shelf and eyed it with a wide grin. "Now this is a Jack I like."

"Ouch," he grinned. "Punzie think fast!" Jack flung a cereal bar at her. She beamed and shared some with Pascal, her braid swinging to and fro as she thanked him with her mouth full.

"Help me with th' bags lass, will yeh?" Merida asked, holding a large box, before the girls left the room chattering away.

Hiccup watched them with a smile as he walked along—curios little group they were—until he flinched when a rotten stench reached him. By the end of the shelf he noticed something over the far corner, like a shape or a drawing; so he got near, skipping over some leftovers and such, and without thinking touched the image. It felt damp and viscous like paint, but had a strange yet familiar smell, like...

He turned his hand and took in a sharp breath. There was blood at his fingertips.

Following the trail he found the source, or rather sources of the stains and the smell, and froze as a cold chill ran down his spine.

Right in front of him, merely a step away, laid three corpses sitting against the walls in the small corner. In the middle laid a note and a stained pistol. The gun was surely going be useful in the future, no matter how or where he'd gotten it. '_Sorry_' was scrabbled on the paper in shaky and loose letters, as if the one writing had been completely terrified.

He glanced up and examined the bodies closely, the candle radiating warmth against his cheek, and noted that there were two guys at his sides and a woman in front of him. They all had bite marks besides other wounds, though only the guys had stains sprayed over the walls behind them.

Gears started to roll as his green eyes took in each detail, and everything materialized in front of him, the scene happening again.

Sobs of pain and grief, the gun spinning on the ground, slow breaths, mouth open and eyes screwed shut, flinching at the blast, tears falling down her cheeks, shaking hands struggling to take the gun, the sprayed walls...

"Wow..." Jack's voice behind him brought him back to the present.

He just nodded unable to find the words. They stood there staring for God knows how long until Jack spoke up again. "What's that?"

"W-what?" Hiccup finally said with a shallow voice.

"Her head," he whispered, "_look at this thing_." There was an angry gash that ran deep across the forehead which, though stained, revealed something sprouting out, like a coral of some kind.

Their eyes widened when the protrusion moved slightly and a low sound escaped the body. The woman's chest was rising and falling, like breaths, the movements almost invisible in the candles' lights.

The breathing turned into sniffs. Something was off. Sniffing... It was _sniffing_ them.

This was bad, very bad.

Hiccup slowly stood up, careful not to make any more noise with his foot, as Jack took a tentative step back. Then its eyes opened to reveal glassy white eyes staring back at them.

"_Oh shhh_—"

Jack's swear melted in an excruciating screech that boomed all around, the windows of the station shuddering so violently that looked as if they were going to break at any second. They clapped their hands to their ears, a wave of vertigo rising in their heads that almost sent them stumbling to the floor. Hiccup swore his ears were bleeding against his palms, he couldn't even hear his own voice, let alone his own thoughts.

It grabbed his leg and he tripped, the scream never stopping as he tried to kick himself free in panic. Jack started to bash its head to no avail. Toothless appeared and tugged at his jacket, struggling to get Hiccup out of there.

Suddenly the scream ended and he noticed its head pierced with the hockey stick, nevertheless the grip remained painfully strong. Jack stomped on the arm cutting it off and helped him up.

After they closed the door, they found the girls staring at them in shock.

"What's that?" Rapunzel asked hardening her grip on a frying pan.

"...zo...zombie..." He panted leaning his weight on the stained stick.

"And that?" The blonde asked once again, pointing with her new weapon the arm that was still holding on to Hiccup's leg.

"Wha—!? Ew, man..." He shook it off away against the wall. Merida and Jack were stifling their laughter at his reaction, after everything that happened in just mere seconds...

But the humour disappeared when moans echoed and poundings appeared on the main door and windows, much louder and harder than last time.

"Oh no..." Merida scoffed as Toothless began to growl. Another horde...

"We need to get out of here, now!" Hiccup said and held up the stained gun. It would be just a matter of minutes. Merida readied her pistol and grabbed a backpack, the end of a bow sticking out, while Rapunzel hurriedly stuffed more supplies in the other one.

"It won't be enough." Jack whispered to himself. The pounding kept going as he stood there lost in thought. Last time had been pure luck, there had to be way to hold the zombies off if they were going to make a run for it.

A glimmering candle gave him an idea.

"What yeh doin'!?" Merida seethed and bolted around when he opened her backpack and began rummaging through it. He took out the bottle of whisky and stuffed a piece of rag in.

"...guys?" Rapunzel said, eyes darting from window to window.

"Hey, I'll only use it if they get in, okay?" He winked as he lit up the cloth with a nearby candle.

The door began to crack.

"Guys!" She hissed.

"Don' yeh dare," she muttered.

"Here they come." Hiccup warned, Toothless ready at his side.

Jack just grinned his lopsided grin and tossed the Molotov over his shoulders without even looking.

On cue the door busted open and the explosion burned the first zombies creating a barrier of fire over the entrance. The few ones that didn't torch all the way and made it inside gained some bullets in their heads, courtesy of Merida.

Just when the fire began to spread inside Hiccup broke a large window away from the action and motioned them to follow.

And follow they did.

There storm looked like it had ceased a few minutes ago, the moon's light pierced through the scattering clouds and illuminated their path as they ran in the night. And even though the station on fire proved to be a good distraction, there were still runners chasing them.

They ran as fast as they could through the main street until they reached a bridge across the river. Things were not looking good. At the distance there were more infected, and to make things worse, the ones behind were getting closer.

Hiccup's mind was running a mile a minute as Toothless stared at the infected ahead. "If we fight those ones over there will come to us," he signalled at the much larger mob, "and if we keep running these ones over here will alert them too."

"So it's hide-or-die then." Jack said and began to scan the area.

"Pretty much."

"All th' places are blocked do'own,"

"What about this?" Rapunzel kicked a manhole lid away revealing a sewer entrance.

"Paerfect!" Just then a loud yell came from the bridge.

"Perfect." Hiccup sighed. Now both hordes were coming.

They rushed over to the hole and Toothless jumped down in a blur that made Rapunzel gasp. Merida looked at Hiccup in sudden worry but he shook his head.

"It's alright, we've done worse, come on!" He hurried them inside.

Jack got in last, and just when he was about to cover the entrance, he noticed something in the oncoming mob by the bridge, a towering shadow among the other zombies. Next thing he saw there was one of those abandoned cars flying through the air at him. He pulled the lid and fell down the stairs, murky water splashing everywhere when he landed.

The walls trembled when the car hit the ground above them.


End file.
